The LumaVox video production blog category contains articles about video production.

6 12, 2018

Using Drone Video in Small Business Marketing

By |2018-12-06T18:28:18-05:00December 6th, 2018|Blog, Small Business Marketing, Video Marketing, Video Production|0 Comments

Using Drone Video in Small Business Marketing

DJI Inspire Drone

Drone Video Adds Another Level to Small Business Marketing

The use of video as part of a small business marketing strategy continues to grow by leaps and bounds. An astounding 54% of customers want to see more video content from businesses. Savvy small business marketers are working hard to meet that growing demand. More and more they’re finding that using drone video in small business marketing improves that new content.

With the increased video content available to consumers comes the challenge of how to make that video content engaging. A video isn’t worth much if a viewer doesn’t want to watch it. As a small business marketer your job is to tell the story of your business or your client’s business and spread their message. It doesn’t help tell that story or spread that message if the viewers click away early in the viewing. At least it doesn’t help much.

The latest trend to help with that viewer engagement is drone videography. Aerial footage is a powerful tool that businesses can use to help increase viewer engagement. Drone videography can add an elegance and bring a fresh perspective to video content.

Drone Technology

The days of needing to book time in a helicopter in order to get good aerial footage are long gone. Helicopters are fun. They’re also very expensive to operate.

Today’s drone technology offers videographers high quality and sophisticated platforms to capture aerial footage and create videos that are engaging. The technology is amazing, and the footage drones capture can be stunning.

Drones come in all shapes and sizes.

Phantom 3SE Drone

Drones used in commercial videography for small business marketing usually:

  • Have four or more rotors that provide lift
  • Weigh less than 55 pounds.
  • Are flown by one Pilot in Command who also operates the video camera
  • Have a camera that can record High Definition video for use in online marketing
  • Transmits an aerial view in real time to the Pilot in Command while flying

Types of Businesses That Stand out From the Crowd by Using Drones

Any business can use drone aerial footage to help reach potential customers. The possibilities are almost endless and range from aerial footage of properties to highly choreographed sequences woven into a film narrative.

Some businesses particularly benefit from the unmanned aerial technology, including:

  • Real estate agents
  • Hotels and resorts
  • Sporting venues such as golf courses
  • Weddings and family events
  • Residential and industrial contractors

In fact, real estate is the second largest industry in the United States that uses drone technology to reach potential clients. I’m sure you can understand why. Beautifully filmed aerial shots of a property adds that extra movement and punch that helps keep viewers engaged.

One thing to avoid is to seem like you’re doing drone marketing. You should have the aerial footage add to your video and to your messaging but not be about the aerial footage. You’ve probably seen drone videos that go on and on for minutes on end. The video usually gets boring pretty quickly. Instead, use the video footage to just add a little extra movement and perspective here and there. Focus on the story you’re telling in your video, and not on the techniques you used to tell your story. That way your audience will be more likely to engage longer with your content.

Certification Required for Commercial Drone Flying

Operating a drone for any type of commercial use in the United States requires certification by the FAA, the Federal Aviation Administration. The FAA is the same agency that regulates the commercial airline industry. Any use in which you trade money, goods, or services in exchange for drone operation, is commercial use. That includes if you’re filming aerial footage yourself and using it in your marketing. For example, if you’re a real estate agent using a drone to help with property listings you will need FAA certification.

So for example if you operate a golf course and you trade some rounds of golf with someone who films drone footage, you are engaging in a commercial drone operation. In that case, the person needs to have FAA certification to operate the drone.

In addition to FAA certification for commercial drone operation within US airspace, insurance underwriters also require the FAA certification. Drone technology is very safe, however things can go wrong. Drones can weigh up to 55 pounds according to FAA regulations. Should something go wrong, an object of that size can cause serious property damage, personal injury, or even death. Obviously in such cases, the liability issues can be significant.

An FAA Part 107, Remote Pilot Small Unmanned Aircraft System, is the certification required for commercial drone operation in the United States.

Certification

Be sure the videographer you hire has this FAA certification. Or obtain one yourself if you’re going to be filming your own aerial footage for commercial use.

Keep Your Video Marketing Fresh

You probably know the statistic. Viewers click away from more than 80% of videos in less than 20 seconds. No matter how long the video is.

Technology keeps moving at a rapid pace. Customers and clients, or potential customers and clients, expect businesses to keep up with the changes in technology. That includes changes in content they consume.

To keep them engaged you need to keep your videos fresh. Aerial footage using drones can help you do that.
Used in the right way, drone videography adds that extra sparkle that viewers love.

Featured photo courtesy of Mitch Nielson.

20 07, 2018

How Long Does It Take to Produce a Minute of Video

By |2018-11-29T16:15:57-05:00July 20th, 2018|Blog, Video Production|1 Comment

How Long Does It Take to Produce a Minute of Video

How Long Does It Take to Produce a Minute of Video LumaVox

How long does it take to produce a minute of video? Of course the smart aleck answer is that it takes anywhere from one minute to years and years.

Obviously, there are many variables that go into a one minute video. So you’d need to know all the variables to know how long it would take to produce one minute.

In this case, let’s look at the variables that go into a standard one minute “call to action” video for a restaurant. A “call to action” video has an ending that asks the viewer to take a concrete action, such as call the restaurant or stop in.

An Example of a One Minute Video for a Restaurant

Here’s a video we produced for Encore Fine Food and Spirits, located in Jim Thorpe, PA. It’s a good example of a “call to action” video for a restaurant. We ask at the end to take a concrete action. It runs a bit longer than one minute, but it will serve the purpose of laying out the steps and time involved for producing a minute of video.

Pre-Produce and Film the Video

The time estimate here is for a one person location shoot. The equipment is a 3 point interview lighting setup, as well as a lav mic on the subject, and a HD camera on a tripod for the interview, with a mix of camera on tripod and hand held for the b-roll.

  • Research the client and their business to understand their product and service – 1 hour
  • Phone call with the client – 30 minutes
  • Write the script – 1 hour
  • Drive to the location – varies
  • Sit down with the client to go over paperwork, releases, and the process of filming – 30 minutes
  • Setup for interview – 15 minutes
  • Film the interview – 30 minutes
  • Film b-roll – varies, but plan on 1.5 hours
  • Pack up – 15 minutes
  • Drive back – varies

So the total time for pre-production and filming the one minute video, not counting travel time, is: 5 hours and 30 minutes.

Edit the Video

The estimated time for editing this project assumes one dialog track, together with one music track, 3 to 5 second b-roll clips, as well as straight forward lower thirds graphics and logo graphics.

  • Download the files and setup project on Premiere Pro– 15 minutes
  • Edit the interview track – 1 hours
  • Choose and add music track – 30 minutes
  • Add b-roll clips – 1 hour
  • Add graphics and lower thirds – 1 hour
  • Color correct, adjust framing, add motion to clips, add transitions – 1 hour
  • Export and upload the file – 30 minutes

So the total time for editing the one minute video is: 5 hours.

Editing Rounds

Of course you have to budget time for editing changes. Examples of typical changes include misspelled names and switching out b-roll clips.

  • Fix typos, change out b-roll clips – 1 hour
  • Export and upload the file – 30 minutes

The total time for editing round changes is: 1 hours and 30 minutes.

It Takes a While to Produce a Minute of Video

So in total it takes about 12 hours to produce a restaurant “call to action” video similar to the one posted above. And that 12 hours doesn’t include the travel time to and from the location. Therefore counting travel time, it’s about two work days to produce one minute of video as shown above.

Have we produced a minute of video faster? Indeed. Can it take longer? Certainly!

Again, there are many variables on estimating time for a film production. In the case of restaurant “call to action” videos, we find that budgeting two days for a minute of finished video usually works out well.

Featured photo courtesy of RawFilm.

5 06, 2018

Effective Video Production for Restaurants

By |2018-07-19T08:45:39-04:00June 5th, 2018|Blog, Video Production|0 Comments

Effective Video Production for Restaurants

Effective Video Production for Restaurants

People love watching food videos. In fact, about half of US adults watch them. Moreover, millennials make up a large percentage of these adults. In particular, Millennials watch 30% more food video content than do those in other demographics.

Viewers can be choosing to watch a food video for several reasons. The first is that they’re looking for entertainment. The second, and most important for restaurants, is that they’re trying to make a decision about where to dine.

With this in mind, let’s look at some key points that makes for an effective video production for restaurants aimed at viewers making a dining decision.

Explain That Your Cuisine and Concept Solves a Problem

Viewers who land on your restaurant video will appreciate it if they know that you care about them solving a problem and that you care about what they want.

So instead of saying something such as:

We have the best pizza in the word!

Try:

Our customers are looking for thin crust pizza topped with fresh ingredients.

This lets the viewer know that you understand what they’re looking for and that you want to satisfy their need. This could be the first touch you have with a news customer. By stating the problem you’re solving for them you begin to build trust that can in time turn this potential customer into a long term patron.

Here’s an example we produced. In this case the proprietor is emphasizing the special qualities of  the dining experience his guests can look forward to.

Let Viewers Know About Your Location and Clientele

Location and clientele are two other factors that help a viewer make a decision about where to dine. For this reason, give viewers the general area you’re located in, and paint a picture of the clientele and the atmosphere.

Introduce Your Chef

Be sure to show off your chef! People love to know who is cooking their meal. For example, they want to know about their background and their passion for food. Dining is an experience. Therefore, your chef could be the main selling point in getting new customers to come to your restaurant.

Show Food Being Prepared

Now the most important part. Show the food being prepared!

For example, show the prep. Also show the food in the pan or on the grill. Flame can look great on video, so if you have a dish that flames from alcohol being burned off, be sure to include that. Also, use slow motion where appropriate.

Then show the dish being plated. In particular, show the chef going over the final details of the plating.

This is a great opportunity to show your chef again, this time proudly holding their creation and smiling for the camera.

Highlight Your Staff

Discounts and promotions aside, the first visit people come for the food. The next visit is for the people.

Diners want to feel well taken care of, so show off your staff. Show the smiling faces and show their interactions with customers.

Invite Viewers to Stop in or Make a Reservation

Be sure to add a call to action at the end of the video. If viewers have watched through to the end, they’re primed for a call to action. So ask them to do something and give them the invitation!

State your original problem solving phrase again, and then add a phone number to call or a website where they can make a reservation.

For example:

So if you’re looking for thin crust pizza topped with fresh ingredients. Stop in today, or call us at 555-555-5555.

Video Helps Make People Hungry!

If your video is on sites such as Yelp or Trip Adviser, your viewers have probably found you by using a search. That means it’s highly likely that they’re looking for your type of cuisine. With that in mind, help make them hungry! An effective video production for restaurants will do that. Let them know that you care about satisfying their need and that their dining experience is your number one concern.

Featured photo courtesy of Quentin Dr.

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